52 Weeks of Charity

This blog began as my “give-back” bucket-list. Each week for the 52 weeks leading up to my 50^th  birthday I dedicated myself to volunteering at a different charity as a way to give back and give thanks. That was the journey I wanted to take as I walked towards my 50^th birthday….  A celebration of life through helping others. Approaching my 50th boldly and joyfully – focused on others and all life’s beauty, wonder, heartache, and joy shared in community.

At the time, I was not sure what I would learn along the way, what lives I would touch, how others would impact mine, and how I would be changed. That was all part of the unknown journey.

To keep myself focused and honest in achieving the full 52 weeks, I promised the world that each week I would blog, sharing my experiences and highlighting the amazing charities and people who dedicate their lives to helping others. In my own way I wanted to share whatever bits of wisdom and lessons the Universe shared with me along the way and to show that each of us can make a difference.

It was an amazing journey!

After my first 52 weeks ended, I missed the experiences greatly and continued to volunteer at a variety of organizations. I also received lots of emails and questions from people who wanted advice on starting their own journeys, and who were looking for ideas to share volunteer experiences as a family and with children. So I continued to post.

It has been 5 years since my original journey and as I look towards my 55th birthday, I am going to do a second set of 52 weeks of charity. This time, I think the writing will be different. I’ll add tips and activities, share more stories and personal bits to help you experience it more closely with me. So much has happened since I turned 50. The world experienced COVID, I moved to NYC and started a new job, my mother has been diagnosed with terminal cancer…  Just like for everyone else – life has had both amazing and devastating moments.

These 52 week marathons allow me to connect with the world in beauty and love – something that’s easily lost in the noise of day to day life, the negativity in news headlines, and the fight for the most exciting social media feed. It also gives me strength and sense of purpose as I navigate challenges (more of which inevitably lie ahead as they do for us all). I want to find beauty during times of darkness as well as times of joy.

I hope you will journey alongside me by following my blog! If you have volunteer ideas for me, please share them with me through email at k8mante@gmail.com or comment on them here.

Cheers to living in love,

Penny

To see my original 52 weeks at a glance, please visit this page: https://52weeksofcharity.blog/the-list-all-52-weeks-at-a-glance/

To see my current (2nd) 52 weeks at a glance, please visit this page: https://52weeksofcharity.blog/the-second-52-weeks-the-list/